A Thousand Years
by xSnowFire
Summary: The story of their love and how it spanned a thousand years. Off Hiatus! Truly, thanks to everyone that read and reviewed! I have just added a new chapter. 3/25
1. Sunrises

Author's Note: Please don't be harsh me. This is the first time I tried writing a Bleach fanfiction. I just loved this pairing and hated the ending too much, that I had to write about it. I'd appreciate some reviews. Please don't post hate messages.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these characters.

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><p>Sunrises<p>

Rangiku felt her whole body ache miserably as she lie on her back. A group of shinigami had attacked her and drained her of her spiritual pressure. Now she closed her eyes as she heard the sound of a sword being drawn.

"Curse you, stupid girl." A rough voice sneered at her.

She shivered and futilely tried to command her body to move, but she was frozen in place. She didn't dare to open her eyes as a blade was pressed against her throat, and her heart beat fast as she prepared to confront death.

Suddenly, the pressure of the sword was lifted and she heard the man scream and the others shout. As the terrifying noise died down, she hesitantly opened her eyes. At first the whole world was blurred from her vision, and when it focused, she saw a young man around her age holding a fruit to her mouth with the others pressed protectively to his chest.

"Here, eat." The boy said cheerfully.

He was thin, with silver hair, pale skin, squinty eyes and a mischievous grin. He reminded her of a fox.

"If ya can collapse from hunger, ya must hav' 't too." He grinned.

"You too?"

"Yup. Name's Gin. Ichimaru Gin."

"That's an odd name." She thought out loud.

The boy's smile flickered for a moment, but then it returned to its original position. He nudged the fruit closer to her and she looked down. Rangiku's hand slowly reached for it and she took it out of his pale hands. She ate it greedily and he helped her up.

"Ma place ain' far from here."

She blinked and hesitated, but let him take her to his home.

"It ain't much. But, a home's a home." He said, still in his ever-lasting grin.

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><p>He set her down on the wooden floor and reached into a nearby chest.<p>

"Here's somethin' dry for ya ta wear. Ya can change inta it. I promis' I won' look."

He went outside, leaving her in the privacy to change her clothes. Part of her wanted to trust him, like she always did with people (and usually got her into trouble), but the other half wondered why he was being so kind to her.

In her district, one of the poorest and most brutal, of Rukongai, it was a miraculous thing if someone helped you up. She then shook off her doubts and changed into the clothes. Rangiku stood up and faint scent of jasmine (which she had begun to associate with him) reached her.

She peered out from the shack and saw the boy sitting outside, leaning against a tree. She took a few shaky steps and toppled over. She didn't even see him move, but suddenly he was there to catch her and lifted her inside.

"Here ya go," He said as she rested in the worn futon.

"Thank you Ichimaru-san."

"Call me Gin. Ya make me soun' so old" He said lightheartedly with a small chuckle.

She replied with a giggle and his grin softened.

"If ya get cold when ya sleep, ya can move closer ta the fire."

She suddenly felt awkward. There was only one futon and her smile faded. He must have sensed it because he said, "I'll sleep on ta other side 'f ta fire."

She was embarrassed to have him sleep on the floor even though it was his own home. But she didn't try to protest because she felt uncomfortable to be so near a boy at night. She pulled the blankets over her, settled in the futon, and fell asleep.

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><p><em>Rangiku screamed as she narrowly escaped the claws of a hollow. She dodged behind a tree, trying to hide from the huge monster. But the hollow reached down and cut down the trees at the edge of the forest, exposing her. The large trunk fell and caught the hem of her yukata, preventing her from running away.<em>

_The yellow claws wrapped around her, lifting her far off the ground. She frantically tried to escape the suffocating grasp when she was at the opening of a gaping black hole…_

_When…_

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><p>Rangiku woke up in cold sweat, panting hard. She felt a cool hand gently holding her arm and saw Gin. Her first instinct was to sit up and look at herself to see if she had been violated. He realized what she was doing, and released her arm from his grip and blushed. The color that flushed his cheeks stood out conspicuously against his frighteningly pale skin. She felt relieved to see that nothing had happened and looked sheepishly at the boy.<p>

Only a trace of his trademark grin was left on his face. And even though his eyes were still squinted tightly shut, he faced her with unexpected, but genuine concern. She was surprised since they had just met.

"Are ya 'kay? I saw ya turnin' in ta bed and thought ya were havin' a nightmare. 'orry if I woke ya."

"It's okay. Thanks." She replied, ashamed to be having nightmares at her age.

"Ya wanna tell me what happened?"

She shook her head and he didn't question her further.

"Guess ya don' wanna sleep 'more. Com'." He said while pulling her up from the futon.

He led her out from the shack and took her into the woods on the far side of the clearing. She immediately tensed, recalling her terrifying nightmare and stood still. He stopped running a little further off, sensing that she was no longer behind him. He dropped most of his grin and tipped his head inquiringly.

"Com' on." He called to her in his distinct Kyoto accent.

She slowly started towards him, and for some unexplainable reason, the moment his hand came in contact with her arm, she felt at ease.

He gently led her past the forest to a cliff. Rangiku opened her mouth to speak, but he held a finger to her lips, silencing the girl. Then he lifted his finger from her lips and pointed to the sky. She gasped when she saw the fiery sun lift from the mountains beyond.

As the sun rose, it painted the sky with brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. She laughed gaily and Gin responded with a small chuckle. The two of them sat there at the edge of the cliff watching the sunrise until the last traces of red disappeared from the sky.

And for the first time for as long as she could remember, Rangiku was content.

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><p>I hope it's not too cheesy for any of you. Lol.<p> 


	2. Sun and Moon

Author's Note: Yep. I've been busy. But I couldn't resist putting off my homework to write some more of this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these characters.

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><p>Sun and Moon<p>

Gin rose from the mat on the floor of the shack they lived in. He was still unaccustomed to living with someone other than himself. He then thought of the time when he used to have a family he lived with. Then he scolded himself and tried shook off the last remnants of the memories he had of his past life. He couldn't remember much, only that there was never a happy ending in his previous life. So why bother thinking about it?

He stood up and straightened his threadbare clothes and peered over at the other side of the blackened, extinguished fire. A girl was sleeping there. It took some few seconds until he remembered that he had saved her from death.

It had been an extremely tough decision for him, one that could still mean death. He was always a lone person, and another mouth to feed could be a fatal inconvenience for him. Yet for some reason he couldn't explain, seeing her there on the ground, he felt obligated to rescue her.

He walked out silently, careful not to wake her. In just the few days he had spent with her, he learned that she was not the morning person, while he, was just the opposite, in so many more ways than just this. It was like she was the sun and he the moon; the differences were like night and day.

The sun had not yet risen and the sky as black as pitch. But it was not difficult to find his way around because of his habit of closing his eyes. He found it easier to get around in as terrible a place as this when no one could read your thoughts and emotions. Better yet, not to have emotions at all.

He decided to take the long route through the forest to the public market. There would still be hours before even the faintest light shone in the sky. He crept stealthily into the basement of a bar through a window. Inside, Gin snuck as much food as he could without being noticed into the folds of his yukata and stole away back into the forest.

When he returned, dim streaks of light had already pierced the sky and he found Rangiku still sleeping soundly on the futon. He placed all the food he had stole on the table and left again.

Gin didn't know where he was heading. He never did. But he would always take long walks thinking. Just thinking. Before he realized, he found himself at a bush. But being as observant as he was, he noticed something was different. A few branches had been broken, as if someone had been here. He didn't remember ever being here before. He might have passed by on accident on one of his long walks. But he, ever cautious, decided to keep note of it. People so near where he lived was almost always a threat to him.

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><p>By the time he made his way back to the worn shack, it was already noon. When he stuck his head inside, he found that it was empty. His lip twitched in curiosity. Where could Rangiku have gone?<p>

Then suddenly, he felt someone running straight at him and turned.

"Gin!" the girl screamed in a frantic voice.

"Wha 's it?" He replied normally.

"I thought…I woke up and…you weren't there…and I didn't know where you went and…I thought that maybe…" She panted.

Then she through her arms around him and squeezed tightly. He put his arms around her and smiled in amusement. After what seemed like forever, she looked up and saw his amused grin and smacked his arm fiercely.

"Ow! Whatcha do tha' fer? Tha' ain't nice ya know." He chuckled. Although he had to admit, she was much stronger than he gave her credit for.

"I was actually scared that you might have left. And you were all mean and laughing at me!" She pouted with her hands crossed over her chest.

Sometimes Gin wondered why she let all of her emotions and feelings so out in the open and left herself so vulnerable.

"This is ma home too ya know. Ya can't have it all ta yerself ya kno'?"

She frowned again. He chuckled to let her know that it was a joke.

"I was only kiddin' Ran-chan."

She looked up at him inquiringly, "Ran-chan?"

"Ya. I was thinkin' tha' if ya stay, it would be so troublesome ta call ya by ya full name. Yer name is so long tha' it would take ages ta get it all out." He replied.

She once again pouted. She stormed away in fake anger. His grin only grew larger. It now went from ear to ear. He ran up to her and took her by her hand and once again took her on a journey through the forest.

"Where are we going now Gin?" She shouted, all the wind gone from her lungs, "I can't run that fast Gin!"

He smiled and picked her up and carried her through the forest.

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><p>Rangiku was sometimes amazed by the strength he had in his thin arms and body. By the time he set her down, she was red from all the laughing and running, although, Gin did most of the running, and Rangiku, all the laughing. He had taken her to a river at the heart of the forest.<p>

"What are we hear for Gin?" She asked him with her wide blue eyes.

"Fishin." He replied simply.

She blinked as she took his hand, and he helped her up. She crouched next to the flowing water and gasped as she saw a flicker in the water. Rangiku, in her naivete, immediately plunged into the water. Whenever she saw a fish swim by, she would cast herself into the water, trying to catch the fish. But she never once did succeed. Gin had been laughing the entire time.

Rangiku tried to be angry with him, but the sound of his voice just made her delighted and laugh too. He then collected himself and took the nearest tree branch. He motioned for her to remain still and faced the water.

Then suddenly, his arm struck out and when he lifted the sharp branch from the water, there was a fish at the end. She was amazed by the swiftness of his movements, and even more shocked that he could do that all without sight. Then Rangiku forgot all about the fish that lay at the bank of the river, and turned and looked at him.

"Why do you always have your eyes like that? Are you blind?" She asked bluntly.

He stiffened and she knew that she had hit a soft spot. But Rangiku had a record in getting all the answers she wanted. She continued to look at him with a pleading look in her eyes, even though she wasn't even sure he could tell.

When she was answered only with silence, she decided she would have to go on the offensive. She reached up to pry his eyes open.

"Come on, Gin. Let me see them. Please, for me?" She begged him.

"Ya won't like it. No 'ne does. Tha's why I 'ways keep 'em closed."

She frowned and unabashedly tried to get them to open until she was lying on top of him.

"Erm, Ran-chan. I can see evrythin'." Gin said, smirking.

She only rose a bit and flaunted them.

"Now that you've seen mine, let me see yours."

"I didn' know I had 'em too." He teased.

"Shut up Gin! You know I was referring to your eyes." She said playfully.

He sighed, "I guess ya jus' won' let up will ya."

She nodded in triumph. His eyelids hesitatingly fluttered up. She gasped as she caught sight of his stunning ice blue eyes. Rangiku felt instantly mesmerized. But then she was woken from her trance-like state when he closed them.

"I knew ya wouldn' like 't"

"No, I do. I think they're stunning. You should open them more often." She said smiling.

"An' ya should open yers more often." He retorted sarcastically.

There were moments like this that Rangiku hated that he always knew the right thing to say. Why did he always have some clever remark to say? But instead, she decided just to laugh it off.

"Well you're completely right. I should open mine more often."

She started to untie the obi that held her yukata together.

"Whatcha doin'? Do ya always reveal tha' much ta men ya just met?"

"You aren't a man yet. And yes, I do." She joked.

"Then I worry for ya, Ran-chan."

"Fine. Your loss." She said as she redid her obi.

He just smiled and held his arms out. As if on instinct, she leaned into him and he pulled her in close.

And there, under the bright light cast by the stars and the moon, Rangiku fell asleep in Gin's arms.

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><p>What do you all think? A little cheesy I know, but I think it's cute.<p> 


	3. Sashes

Author's Note: Again, replies are always greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or the characters.

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><p>Sashes<p>

When Rangiku woke up, she was alarmed. She did not recognize where she was. Then, she felt familiar arms around her. She felt so relieved to see that Gin was still there, and she settled her head into his chest. Then she felt him move and lift his head. She looked up and saw that he was awake, his trademark grin still plastered onto his face. He was so odd sometimes.

"Ohio, Ran-chan."

"Ohio." She replied sleepily.

"Whatcha wanna do today?"

"Nothin'." She said lazily as she snuggled into his arms.

"Tha' ain't good."

"Why is that?"

"I was gonna go ta the market today. We need food ta live ya know."

She groaned as she pushed herself up. Gin got up afterward.

"Can I go with you?"

He hesitated. Then he said, "All righ'."

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><p>The market was a big, bustling place, but there was tension in the air. All the people who owned stalls had watchful eyes like hawks. They were looking for people like them. The pair stood out for all the wrong reasons. Gin's squinted eyes and sly grin always made the shopkeepers brand him as a thief and chase him out. Rangiku, however, got better attention. But that was always from the men, and angry wives were always glaring at her.<p>

"Why do they all hate us Gin? We never did anything to hurt them." She asked him innocently.

Gin always wondered how she had gotten by before him. She was way too naïve and trusting in his opinion.

"They are all jealous of yer beauty Ran." He said.

A sunny smile spread across her face. He led her to the nearest food stall and laid out the dried persimmons he had gathered earlier that week. The rough man completely ignored him. Rangiku then walked up and the man turned around.

"How much?" He snarled.

She looked at Gin.

"Fort' yen."

The man scowled.

"Eight. Take it or leave."

Rangiku saw Gin's lip twitch and knew that he was angry. Eight yen was a ridiculously small amount of money. She stepped in.

"But sir, what about thirty." She said, smiling sweetly and batting her eyelashes.

The man hesitated, "Twenty-five."

She looked to Gin, who nodded. And she took the money from his hands. But the man's coarse hands gripped her wrist. She took her other hand and tried prying his fingers apart with no avail. The man smiled in what looked to her more like a grimace.

Then, Gin stepped in. He look the man's arm in his left and glared at him. His eyes were open just slightly and a dark, murderous aura surrounded him. Slowly, the man's grip loosened, and she yanked her hand away. She looked at Gin, whose eyes have closed, and his ever-present smile warning the man.

Rangiku had never seen Gin this way before, but at that moment, he had an extremely powerful aura. But she knew with full certainty that he would never hurt her. He let go of the man's wrist and took up her hand gently and took her away.

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><p>Gin did not speak the entire way back, but she knew he was angry. She just hoped it wasn't directed at her. They had left both the money and the fruits at that stall. She knew he was too proud to take the money after the confrontation. She didn't understand it though. What good was pride when they starved?<p>

They ate in the shack in silence. Rangiku looked at the silver-haired boy. And beneath his mask, she saw that he was fuming.

"Sumimasen." She said quietly, in a voice below even a whisper.

But Gin could hear her perfectly.

"Whatcha apologizing fer?" He said harshly.

"For making us lose the money and fruits…A-And making you have to protect me." She said miserably.

She heard him sigh.

"Yer so stupid sometimes. I didn' hafta protect ya. I wanted ta."

She looked down, not wanting to look at him and see the expression on his face. Gin got up and sat beside her with his hand on hers. She turned and saw that his usual grin was gone and replaced by a softer smile. Her lips curved slightly upward.

"Did ya really think I would be mad at ya? Ya really don' know me at all."

She looked back down again. Gin, in a clear effort to make her feel better, asked her

"When's yer birthday?"

Rangiku thought about it for a moment.

"I don't really know. I guess it was never important to me."

"Well I think t's 'mportant tha' a pretty girl like ya should have a birthday."

"When's yours?"

" 'eptember tenth. Ya were ma late birthday presen'. I know! Yer birthday will be the twent' ninth of 'eptember. The day we met."

Rangiku smiled, but then she saw Gin get up and leave.

"Where are you going?" She asked worriedly.

"Jus' goin' out fer a walk Ran."

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><p>Gin walked by the stalls in the open market, avoiding the one from the earlier conflict. He wandered through the streets mindlessly until something bright caught his eye.<p>

He walked up to the stall and asked the old woman behind it. She had a gentle face, full of smile wrinkles…and completely out of place here.

"How much fer it Obaa-san?" He asked.

"Usually I'd sell it for 570 yen. But you seem like a nice boy. How much do you have to spend?" She replied kindly.

No one had ever called him that or treated him the way she did before. His appearance was off-putting to most, if not everyone.

" 'nly 'bout 200."

She smiled, "Then 200 it is."

He placed the money in her hands and took it from the woman's stand and went home.

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><p>Rangiku ducked her head outside for the millionth time to see if Gin were back yet. But when she could not see anyone, she went back to sweeping the floor. The sun had begun to set. <em>I wonder where he could be. I hope he didn't get into trouble. How long does a walk even tak…<em>

"Ah!" She shrieked as hands rested on her eyes.

Turning around with her hands on her heart, she saw Gin behind her.

"Hiya, Ran-chan."

"Gin! You almost gave me a heart attack! How did you sneak up on me li…"

She trailed off when she saw his right hand behind his back.

"What's that you're holding Gin?"

He grinned, "Happy Belated Ran-chan."

He took his hand from behind his back and held it out to her. She gasped. It was a bright pink silk scarf.

"It must have cost a fortune! Gin, how much did…"

"Never min' Ran. As lon' as ya like it."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. It was at that moment she knew that she was truly home. And she decided then that she would keep that scarf with her…

…Always.


	4. Resolutions

Author's Note: Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor these characters.

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><p>Resolutions<p>

Rangiku woke up panting and shivering from her nightmare. She looked around relieved to see that she was in the safety of the shack. She slowly gathered herself up and walked around to Gin, who was still asleep.

"Gin…Gin." She whispered as she prodded him.

"Hm…huh?" Gin replied rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Can I sleep with you for the rest of the night?"

He held out his arm without any other questions, and she snuggled in.

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><p>Gin woke to a light prodding to his side. Rangiku was hovering over him. It was still dark outside.<p>

"Yer up 'ready?"

"I got a good night's sleep," She proclaimed cheerfully, "What are we doing today?"

"Don' know. What do ya wanna do?"

"Can we go into the forest again? I want to get better at fishing."

" This early?"

"You know what they all say. The fish are always better when caught early."

Gin wondered who _they_ were, and who told her something so ridiculously erroneous.

"Yup." He said, sarcasm dripping from his words. But Rangiku didn't notice or rather, refused to show it.

Gin gathered himself and they took off into the woods. Then suddenly, Gin stopped running.

"What is it?" Rangiku asked.

Gin had spotted the bush again, and this time, it seemed to be further disturbed.

"Nothin'. He lied.

He resolved to distract the girl so that he could take a look.

"Ran-chan. How 'bout ya take a shot at it and surprise me when ya catch on. An' ill surprise ya with somethin' then." He suggested.

Rangiku nodded enthusiastically.

"Now ya musn' look to see where I'm goin else it won be a surprise."

She smiled and raced to the river, seemingly eager to please him. Gin made sure that he would still be in earshot if anything happened as he slowly moved toward the bush.

He spotted a broken twig and wondered who had been here. _Could it only have been an animal? _Gin carefully moved some of the leafy boughs aside, hoping to get a view without any disturbance. An opening was made in the bushes and he peered through curiously.

A group of men dressed in shinigami robes were kneeling before another. He at once recognized the three men. _They were the ones. They were the ones that hurt Rangiku. _Then, a glowing light appeared from a small wooden box another man carried. It instantly illuminated the area where they had gathered. The shining stone intrigued Gin. One of the kneeling men presented another stone, smaller and duller, to the man with the framed glasses. _He's the leader… _The grim looking man took it and dropped it over the other. A burst of sparks showered from the wooden case, threatening to catch flame.

At that moment, he made a resolution…

_I'll kill him._

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><p>He discreetly withdrew from the bushes and stole away.<p>

When Rangiku saw Gin leaving, she was immediately suspicious. She may be naïve at times, but she knew when someone was hiding something. But she decided to keep it to herself. She trusted Gin, and if he decided not to share that thing with her, it would be better if she didn't confront him about it.

Rangiku constantly thought of ways she could help Gin out. He always did everything around their home and for them. Recently she had been cleaning up the shack they lived in, but regretted not being able to do more.

'_Might as well try for a fish.'_ She thought.

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><p>He reached the riverbank where Rangiku was still determinedly attempting at catching a fish. A few times she had captured one, but it had escaped. Gin hid behind a large tree, observing her in amusement. Finally, she managed to spear one.<p>

"Gin! Gin!…I caught one!" She called, "Gin?"

He stepped out from behind the tree and stood behind her.

"Boo!" He shouted as he placed his hands on her shoulder.

"Ahh!"

Gin laughed and was quite proud of himself until she turned around. It was quite obvious she didn't enjoy the stunt he pulled quite as much as he did.

"Gin! What was that!" She shouted in his face, fuming as she punched him in the arm.

"Hey, don' blame me! I warned ya." He said suppressing a chuckle, rubbing his right arm.

"And when was that!" She raved, still clearly angry.

"I 'old ya I was gonna giv ya a surprise when ya 'aught a fish."

She only glared at him

"Aw, com' on. Don' be like tha' Ran-chan." He complained.

Rangiku glared at him some more.

"Fine. Because I, the ever virtuous Matsumoto Rangiku, will forgive you…"

"I knew ya would."

"…on one condition!" She continued

Gin raised an eyebrow, "An' wha may tha' be?"

"You must…do three things I say. No matter what they are." She declared.

"An' they are?"

Rangiku frowned, seemingly in deep speculation, then she said, "Well…I haven't decided yet. But when I do, you have to remember that you must to _anything_ I ask."

"Sure." He said with feigned military respect.

"Why do you always have to annoy me so much? I swear I could leave one day." She asked him, half talking to herself.

"Nah, but ya'd miss me too much." He teased her.

She rolled her eyes. But he knew that secretly, she agreed with him, and it would be the same for him as well. And that was when they both truly realized how much they had grown on each other, just in these few short days.


	5. Unforeseen Encounters

Author's Note: It's sad how little GinRan Fanfiction readers there are out there. At least that's the way it seems. Please help me out and leave a review if you find the time after reading this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these characters.

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><p>Unforeseen Encounters<p>

Rangiku caught Gin on his way out to the market, persuading him to let her go.

"I promise I won't get into any more trouble." She said desperately pleading with him.

Gin wasn't so sure, she could tell. But Rangiku wanted to redeem herself after the last time. Even though Gin had told her that she was never in the wrong, they still lost a lot of their money.

" Alright," He relented, "But remember, ya gotta stay close."

She nodded obediently, promising herself that she wouldn't cause any more trouble for them, as food was a constant, everyday struggle.

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><p>When the pair reached the marketplace, there was a commotion. Gin motioned for the girl to stay back in the safety of the edge of the woods, protected by the thick underbrush. He saw alarm in her wide blue eyes but obeyed him.<p>

Gin crept along the dull gray of the wall surrounding the small town, looking to see what was taking place. Bar brawls, challenges, and barbaric fights over just about anything was frighteningly common in District 79 of Rukongai; Gin's awareness of the things and people around him had always been almost superhuman, and he could sense that this time, it wasn't just a senseless fight.

"Stay still Obaa-san." A rough voice sneered with mock politeness.

The boy crouched in the shade cautiously peered out from behind the home.

The same woman who had generously sold him the sash he had given to Rangiku was being jostling roughly by a brute man reprieved himself for the dangerous act he was about to go through with, but stepped out of shadows.

The man handling the frail old woman turned to face him and raised an eyebrow.

"And who might you be."

"Ain't it awfully mean fer five men ta gan' up on an elderly woman?" He challenged.

The man frowned, then started laughing harshly.

"Say, ain't it an awfully big challenge from an awfully small boy. What are yo goin' tu do? Cry tu yur mommy Fox-face?" He leered, ridiculing his accent.

Gin was unfazed by the insult.

"If ya hav' a little sense, ya shoulda been gone 'fore I came." He threatened, still with his perpetual grin.

"Oh really?" He snarled, "Well let's just see about that."

The man threw him a hard punch, and Gin raised his hand and caught his fist in his hand with no apparent effort. The brute exerted his energy through his arm to no avail. Then Gin decided to return the favor. He pushed the fist of the man down and hit him squarely in the jaw.

The man stumbled back in disbelief, releasing the elderly lady and rubbed his bruised jaw. Then he regained his hold on her and motioned for the others to attack and his companions charged the thin boy.

They were clearly unsettled by his grin and slowed when they neared him.

"What are you waiting for! Hit him!" the leader commanded.

The henchmen obeyed and they struck out. Gin ducked to avoid the first throw, caught the man's fist, and twisted the arm behind the man's back in a particularly painful position. He saw another curved blow and dodged again, returning him with a debilitating punch thrown to his abdomen. Still restraining the man's arm, he leaped to avoid a kick, and to deliver another to that man's head. Another came to free the man from his hold, but Gin stubbornly held on and fought around him, refusing to release it. He only caused more pain by forcing the boy to maneuver around his kneeling companion.

It took that man some time to realize, but he discovered that the boy was playing with him. Gin had been dodging the entire time. Finally, he issued a hit to the man's neck, causing him to black out. The last man hesitated, but began to charge with a knife. But before he could strike, he fell to the ground, cursing with pain from the blow to man's vulnerable point. And yet, the entire fight had happened within a few seconds.

Gin's perpetual grin was still present as he liberated the man's arm. He quickly scrambled away, clutching his broken arm. Gin slowly crouched down, took the knife and studied it leisurely.

The leader of the gang was stunned and alarmed as the boy approached him.

"I'm gonna say this one more time. Let 'er go." He warned in a calm voice.

The man stumbled back, still holding the woman's neck in his arm. Gin slowly walked up towards him, one step at a time. The man backed further and further away until he bumped into a tree. Rangiku was jarred from her kneeling position and fell forward into the dirt. The man seemed to realize that they knew each other as well and grabbed the girl up roughly from the ground. The grin on the boy's face faltered for a moment.

The man took a pocketknife and held it to her throat.

"I'll let the woman go if you let me take this one here."

Gin hesitated, then replied.

"Fine."

He could see the shock on Rangiku's face. Gin watched as the man released the woman, then looked at Rangiku, hoping that she was sharp enough to catch the hint. He waited until the man was smirking, seemingly in triumph.

"Duck!" He shouted before throwing the knife he had in hand.

Rangiku reacted quickly and dropped to her knees. The knife he threw embedded itself precisely into the man's chest. A thick, crimson liquid seeped from the wound. A horrible noise escaped his throat as he collapsed onto the earth.

Gin quickly rushed to Rangiku and pulled her away from the carcass and checked to see if she was unhurt. As she attempted to look back, he turned her head forward, shielding her from the mangled sight.

"Gin! Are you okay? I saw you out there and I was so afraid."

"I'm fine. Ya see? Ya ok?"

She nodded, though still in shock. The woman came over to check on both of them.

"Thank you both so much. I don't know what would have happened if it weren't for you."

" 'nytime." He said grinning.

"Here, my home's close. Let's get us all there…In case there are any more of those bad men out there." She said panic stricken.

He nodded and helped Rangiku get on her feet.

* * *

><p>The woman's home was far nicer than their shack, though still far from comfort. As they rested, she went to get them some water to drink.<p>

Rangiku inspected him thoroughly, checking to see if he was hurt.

"Yer way overreacting Ran-chan. Jus' a few bruises and scratches. This is nothin'" He reassured.

"But your hands! They're cut up and bleeding!" She protested.

"Tha's from punchin' people. I've got a feelin' they're hurtin' more than I am."

The side of his mouth twitched with amusement.

She glared at him. Then she reached into the folds of her obi and took out a bottle of alcohol and gauze from nowhere. She uncapped the lid and poured some on the gauze.

She looked up at him, then dabbed his hands gently. Even though no groan escaped his throat, or grimace pass his face, she knew that it hurt terribly.

The woman came back into the room and offered them the cups. They talked for a while. It was an idle chatter, yet everyone in the room was uneasy after the fight.

"How about you all stay for the night. The sun is beginning to set, and I don't want you both to be wandering out in the dark." The woman offered.

Rangiku graciously accepted.

"I'm going to get some herbs out front to make dinner."

"How 'bout I go an' get'em. Ya can stay in here" Gin walked out before any of them could say another word.

* * *

><p>Rangiku was troubled with Gin constantly taking walks for hours at a time. She stared at the door he had just walked through.<p>

"That boy." The woman said.

Rangiku turned.

"You shouldn't be too worried. He really cares for you, you know?" She smiled.

The girl blushed scarlet, desperately hoping the dimness of the home hid that fact.

"Can I help you cook? I know Gin doesn't say anything, but I know he hates my cooking." She asked, no longer concerned about him after what the lady said.

They both laughed at that.

"Yeah. Sure thing."

* * *

><p>Gin walked out of the home and to the planters on the side of the house. He was deep in thought about the way that he had acted. About how he had enjoyed watching the man grimace in the dirt, and felt no remorse when he had thrown and killed the leader. He was afraid that he was truly heartless like others had always said.<p>

Suddenly, he was jarred from his thoughts. His keen senses detected the presence of a stranger. He raised his hand to attack the odd silhouette when a man prevented him easily. That man stepped out from the shadows and gave Gin a clear view of him…

It was the same man from behind the bushes.

His dark eyes peeked out severely from his glasses. Gin's grin dropped to a mere smile.

"Hello. I saw you out in the streets earlier today. You were fighting those men."

His response was silence. The intruder continued on, unfazed by the boy's hostility.

"You fought well. You have a fairly large spiritual pressure."

The mention of his reiatsu piqued his interest, though he refused to show it outwardly.

"Eh? What'eva are ya talkin' about." He played fool.

The man smiled darkly; they both clearly knew he was lying to him.

"In case you ever need help controlling that energy of yours, look to the Spirit Academy's of Rukongai. There you can train to become shinigami."

Gin turned and frowned. Shinigami lived a life of luxury; they were free from the continual fight for food, housing, and clothing…

And he detested them—Especially after what they did to Rangiku. Rarely did spirits from the poorer districts ever become shinigami. Most aren't able to survive long enough to even hear about it.

Gin turned back to face him, but when he did, the man was already gone.

* * *

><p>I learned a new word today. Acme. I was typing fast and went back to proofread and spotted it. It was an obvious mistake for came, but I think I'll find a way to use it somewhere, just to display my vocabulary prowess. Lol<p> 


	6. Worth the Rain

Author's Note: My family just bought a lot of candies, so I've been eating them like a maniac. So far, I haven't had a sugar crash yet. Odd. That's the thing I've noticed. I always get hyped up but never get the crash. Anyway, it's helping me write quicker.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these characters.

* * *

><p>Worth the Rain<p>

Rangiku woke up to the gentle pitter-pat of raindrops on the roof. _Thank goodness we patched up the roof just last week. _Then she realized something was wrong. Gin wasn't there. _Where could that idiot be? _

In her time spent with Gin, she had stopped worrying as much whenever he wasn't there when they woke up, even though she couldn't keep herself from doing so completely. She shivered as she crawled out from under the blankets.

Before she even found him, Rangiku was already preparing the long, reprimanding speech she was going to deliver to him.

* * *

><p>Gin stood out in the rain, drenching his skin and clothes. He always loved the rain. It made him feel clean. He believed that rain could help him wash away all of his sins, guilts, and regrets. The drops of rain soothed his skin as they danced upon his arms and legs.<p>

Then he heard the sound of bare feet running behind him.

"Gin!"

He did not turn around.

"Gin! Stupid! What are you doing out here in the rain!" Rangiku shouted at him as she forced his arms down.

"Standin'" He replied simply.

This seemed to irritate his companion.

"In the rain? You could catch a cold."

"I like ta rain. 'nyway, I never get sick."

Gin felt an unexplainable warmth enter his body when he heard that she was concerned about him.

"Really? Let's see about that when you're coughing and sneezing and shivering and complaining all night long tomorrow night." She shot back frowning.

"Ya should go back, 'else yer gonna be ta one ta catch a cold."

"Well I'm not going inside until you are." She said stubbornly.

Gin sighed. He held his arms over her head, shielding her from the chilling rain, and ran back inside with her.

The small shack provided little shelter from the freezing cold of the rain. They huddled together for the little warmth their body heat produced.

" 'S still rainin' hard 'side. 'ight as well jus' go ta sleep." Gin suggested.

So they slept for the rest of the day, listening to the soothing sound of rain tapping on their roof.

* * *

><p>The next day, the rain still persisted. They had nothing better to do than sleep and stare at the raindrops scattering on the mud.<p>

" 'is ain't good."

"The clouds are _still _dumping their load." Rangiku complained.

"Erm…I'd prefer not ta thin' of it tha' way."

Rangiku giggled. Then suddenly, she stopped.

"Gin. Do you remember anything from your past life?" She asked.

" Not much. Ya?"

"I barely remember anything. But I do remember my mom. She was beautiful and kind. I just feel a warm sort of glow." She sighed contently.

Gin stiffened. All he remembered from his family were that his father was a drunk and abusive towards him and his mother. But his mother was weak and didn't even try to protect her son. In the end, he ended up taking his own father's life, in an effort to help his mom. But she was ungrateful and threw him out onto the streets.

"Why do you think we were taken here to this horrible place? Is it worth it?"

" 'S what worth it?"

Rangiku didn't reply.

"Ya, it was."

She looked up from the floor.

" 'cause it brought me ta ya."

She smiled.

"Your completely right."

Then suddenly, Rangiku broke out into a coughing fit.

"Tha' ain't good." I hope it ain't what it wounds like."

Gin pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Yer warmin' up. Here, let's get ya inside the covers." He said as he helped her down.

"What if I'm sick?"

"Ya are sick. If anythin' happens or if ya get worse, tell me." He instructed, lying down next to her.

"Way to make me feel great." She said sarcastically.

Sarcasm was usually more of Gin's thing. But he guessed that the fever just went straight to her head.

"Whose ta one coughin' an' sneezin' an' shiverin' and complainin' now?"

She rolled her eyes. The boy put his arms around her, hoping to provide more warmth for her. Throughout the day, she coughed, sneezed, and shivered. But then, as time went on, her coughs turned into hacks and she began shaking vigorously. Gin had already taken all of their spare clothes, blankets, and sheets, and pressed them to her. But she hadn't shown any improvement. In fact, her condition was deteriorating.

"Ran-chan. Ya stay here an' hold up. I'll go an' see if I can find any medicine fer ya."

Rangiku nodded miserably.

* * *

><p>Rangiku waited, shuddering under the pile of blankets, hoping that Gin would come back soon. Then a spoon appeared, hovering above her mouth.<p>

"Drink." He commanded.

She obeyed, but grimaced at the bitter taste. Then Gin held out a dried persimmon to her.

"This'll make it taste better."

So she drank the rest of the bowl with the persimmon. Rangiku was embarrassed to be hand fed, but she was too weak to protest.

"Gin, where did you get the medicine."

"Let's just say tha' someone in ta market ain't gonna be too happy when he does inventory." He said slyly.

She laughed at his comment.

"Ya should lay down an' get some rest."

"But Gin, you shouldn't sleep next to me. You might get sick too." She said, worry in her eyes.

"Didn't I tell ya? I nev'r get sick."

The girl frowned, unconvinced. But she knew that nothing she could say would make him change his mind. They were similar in that sense.

* * *

><p>The next day, Rangiku's health had improved almost miraculously. But then she heard the sound of coughing that did not come from her own body.<p>

"What did I tell you. You shouldn't have."

"It ain't as bad as it looks." Gin reassured.

"Now whose the one coughing and sneezing and shivering and complaining? Its my turn to take care of you, Gin."

Gin was humored. He opened his mouth, but Rangiku cut him off.

"Let me ok?" She sighed. It wasn't a question; it was more of a command.

The boy relaxed a bit. He motioned to her that the rest of the medicine was in the chest, but the girl didn't move.

"Was it worth it? I mean taking care of me and getting sick."

"So worth it." Gin said smiling.

* * *

><p>Darn! I couldn't find a way to put 'acme' in the story. Oh well, maybe next time.<p> 


	7. Remembrance

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these Characters…although I'm pretty sure everyone knows that.

* * *

><p>Remembrance<p>

Gin heard the sound of sniffling as he approached his home. The spotted Rangiku seated on the stoop of the shack with her head buried in her hands. He set the dried fruits down on the table and sat down next to the crying girl.

He gently took her hands away from her face only to find her blue eyes red and puffy.

"Shh." He comforted her.

He placed his arms around her and let her cry on her shoulder.

"Wha's wrong?" He asked her.

"It…hic was…hic this time…hic…of year when…hic…I left my hic…family." She stuttered out.

Gin's face darkened, recalling some not so fond memories of his past life.

"You wanna tell ma 'bout it?"

The weeping girl paused, and began…

* * *

><p><em>"Ran-chan!" A light airy voice called out.<em>

_"Okaa-chan!" A sweet small voice replied._

"_Where are you?"_

"_It's called hide-and-seek Okaa-chan! I'm not supposed to tell you where I am." Rangiku giggled. _

"_I'll find you. Stay still." _

_Rangiku crouched behind a bush, peeking out and suppressing giggles. _

"_Hm…is Ran-chan behind the tree?" She asked in a staged, high voice reserved only to her precious daughter. _

"_Nope!" The little girl answered her mother._

"_Then…what about this bush!" _

_Rangiku leaped up into her mother's arms. Her mother is in her late twenties, but still beautiful. Rangiku resembled her mother in all ways. They both had blond hair, although the girl's hair was strawberry blonde and their eyes were both shades of blue. _

_Her mother set her down lightly and held her hand. She took her to a vendor's selling snow cones and bought her precious daughter one. _

_The little girl's face light up in happiness. The pair walked along the side of the street. Then, Rangiku sped ahead, challenging her mom to race her back home. But suddenly, a loud noise approached the pair rapidly. An automobile had veered off the road._

_Her mother, in instinct leaped in front of her daughter, shielding her from the automobile. _

_Rangiku slowly opened her eyes. _

"_Okaa-chan?"_

_The girl turned to see her mother lying on the ground clutching her stomach. They were both drenched in a pool of crimson. Rangiku was too shocked to even move or speak. _

"_Ran-chan?" _

_She nodded in a stupor._

"_Be safe. Remember, I will always love you." She shuddered out with great difficulty on her last breath. _

_The girl was frozen in place, incapable of comprehending the nightmarish events that had just taken place. Everything had been too surreal. _

_A man paced behind her. Then he kneeled down next to her._

"_The people from the hospital should be here any moment. Don't worry." _

_Even though her mind could not accept it, Rangiku knew that no one could bring her mother back. The last thing she saw was the first snowflake of the season drift gently down past her. _

_Then the darkness overwhelmed her._

* * *

><p>"I though' ya didn' remember yer pas' life."<p>

"I…I lied. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have." She broke out into tears again.

He silently cursed himself.

"I wish I could say the earlier." He spat.

"Why is that Gin?" She said sniffling.

"I don' thin' ya would wanna know."

"…Oh."

They sat in awkward silence. Rangiku looked over at him and saw that he was deep in thought.

She was the first to break the silence.

"How did you die?"

Gin frowned, "Truthfully, I ain't sure. I thin' it had somethin' ta do with hunger."

"I died of internal bleeding."

"Well ain't tha' a fancy name."

Rangiku glared at him and smacked him on the back of his head.

"I didn' thin' there would be such a fancy word ta describe death," He said wincing as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I remember a doctor said something like that before I died."

Rangiku watched him carefully.

"Maybe you would feel better if you told me. I know I feel much better when I tell Kitsune."

"Huh?" He asked unintelligibly.

"My pet fox."

She said smiling, her tears still streaking down her face, and pulled a stuffed fox out from nowhere. The battered plushie was dropped onto Gin's lap, much to his surprise.

"Again, huh?" He repeated for effect as he poked at the doll's threads.

She narrowed her eyes.

"You know that I made him after you right? If you're going to insult yourself, so be it. But do not insult my needlework." She said dangerously.

He waved his hands in a comical fashion, as if surrendering.

"Well if you're not going to tell me, you can tell him. That way you won't feel as silly." She said.

"Er…righ'. I won' feel silly whatsoever consultin' inanimate objects with ma deepest emotions."

"And what are you hinting at…" She threatened.

Gin exhaled loudly and began.

"Ma father use' ta…wait, it migh' get a bit ugly sometimes. So…I'll replace 'puppy' for the words tha' aint mice."

She giggled that.

"Ma father use' ta abuse ma mom an' me. He was a drunk ya see…"

* * *

><p><em>Gin huddled in the cold basement with his broken mother. She was bruised and bleeding, both physically and mentally. He winced in fearful anticipation when he heard stairs creaking. A tall, lanky man walked downstairs. Gin let out a sigh of relief. His father was sober; at least he was sober enough to not be violent.<em>

_"Oh my…" He said realizing in a shock what he had did the night before. _

_Gin almost hated it more when he was sober. He would beg and apologize until his gullible mother would agree yet again, to give him another chance. If he were only drunk for longer than a week, maybe they would have left some time ago. But somehow, he would find a way to keep his mother trapped with his sickly sweet words right when they were secretly preparing themselves to leave. _

_His mother had been trapped in a vicious cycle and was dragging her son down with her. He wished his mother would stop spouting endless excuses for him. _

_One day, when his father came back after a particularly disappointing day at work, he spotted his son and in his sick mind, decided to take all of his anger out on the boy in his drunken state. _

"_Puppies puppy puppy!" He cursed in a slurred voice. _

_Gin had come to the conclusion long ago that as long as his father was alive, his mother would never find her way out of the bubble she lived in. Yet, in spite of everything, he still loved his mother. Until just now, he did not have the courage to physically take action. Hearing his father's incoherent words, rage boiled up to the surface._

_As his father attempted to throw a punch, Gin quickly snatched the chopping knife from the counter and held it out in front of him threateningly. The man instantly backed away from his son. _

_Suddenly, his mother burst through the door, shocked._

"_Gin!" _

"_He ain't never gonna change! He's just a puppy that is a puppies coward." He protested angrily. _

"_Stop talking in that way about your father!" _

"_What are ya talkin' about! He's never been a father to me!" _

"_Shut up!" She screamed at him. _

_Gin blinked, astonished at his mother's reaction. _

"_Leave! Leave!" She shrieked. _

_Gin dropped the knife and ran out the door. From then on, he had stopped trusting people. That is until…_

* * *

><p>Rangiku looked at him sadly. Then she surprised him by smiling.<p>

"We can just forget about all that you know. I mean, start a new life."

He was silent for a moment, then responded with a small smile.

"So you'll promise?" She asked.

"Wha'?"

"That we'll always be together."

"Yep. Sure am."

Then, Rangiku realized why he always smiled. He was shielding himself from ever being hurt again. She leaned into him.

A single snowflake drifted down. However, it no longer meant sadness to them, but the hope of a better future.

* * *

><p>If you look hard enough, I think you can tell the irony being hinted at throughout the entire story. Sad though. Too bad Gin makes too many promises that he can't keep.<p> 


	8. Awakening Prt 1

Author's Note: Sorry for not updating the story. I had some issues with the Doc Manager thing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or these characters.

* * *

><p>Awakening Part One<p>

Gin arranged some food for himself for the day as he prepared to leave for work.

"Gin, where are you going? I thought I told you not to walk off without telling me…again." Rangiku asked him, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"I didn' wanna wake ya from yer deep, _deep _slumber." He replied teasingly.

"I am not such a deep sleeper!" She protested indignantly.

"Uh huh." He said sarcastically, humor spreading across his face.

"What makes you say that?" Rangiku said pouting.

"Say wha'?" Gin asked her, feigning confusion.

"Stop playing dumb. Although I know it's not that hard for you. I was awake the entire time!"

Gin frowned with false hurt, "Tha' was awfully mean Ran-chan."

Rangiku rolled her eyes and glared at him. He noticed that he had been seeing that glare directed at him very often of late.

"Anyway, when did ya wake up? Was 't when I shouted in yer ear or when I slammed ta chest closed?"

She sighed pretentiously, "Where are you going anyway?"

"Ta work. I foun' a job at a rice field."

"Why didn't you tell me! I'll go with you and see if I can find another spot."

"Nah, I don' wan' ya ta work there." He said seriously.

"Why not? I'm perfectly capable of working!" She objected.

"I don' doubt tha' Ran-chan. I jus' don' want ya there."

She frowned.

"I would rather have ya here. Cookin' yer _delicious _meals fer me." He said, back to his teasing tone.

"No you've done it." She replied angrily as she whacked his arm.

He laughed as he ran out the door with a furious Rangiku chasing after him. The girl stopped following him as soon as he sprinted into the shelter of the woods.

"Yeah! And don't come back!" She joked, calling out.

* * *

><p>Gin walked slowly into the wide plantation.<p>

"…and you'll be threshing the rice here." A brute man instructed.

Gin crouched down and began picking the rice kernels, following the other worker's examples. It was hard, laborious work and the pay was meager, but this was the only place that hired children that he could find. Gin learned quickly, but before long, his hands were sore and blistering. He gritted his teeth and worked on, feeling the stalks whip his sensitive hands. Shortly after, they became numb.

The sun was boring down on his aching back, and he was struggling to keep up with the expectations. Then the farmhand stopped them and called a break. He stumbled over and rested in the shade of a large tree. Then the man walked over and pulled a girl, barely older than he himself and whispered something in her ears. The girl's eyes widened and she went with him into the shed.

He was taken by surprise when suddenly, an eerie scream was heard. To his surprise, none of the other workers even faltered. Then he spotted another man stumble out, sucking the blood from a bite mark on his hand. Gin's sharp mind instantly knew and his smile grew in outrage.

When they were called back to work, he toiled at a much more vigorous rate. His anger fueling him. He pressed his eyes closely together. He never saw the girl come out, and even when his eyes were closed, he never missed a thing like that. His mind wondered where she had gone.

When the sun set, they were all sent home, and he had grown to despise the proprietor. Gin was perplexed, however, when he realized that he hadn't cared too much with these incidents before. That he used to be identical in his reactions with the other crew prior to meeting Rangiku.

* * *

><p>When Gin came home, Rangiku could tell he was in a particularly bad mood. His grin was larger than usual and he was completely silent. She had lived with him long enough to know that these were the telltale signs of anger.<p>

She tipped her head inquiringly, but he only turned away. She went over to his other side, but he only looked away again. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Then her eyes opened wide when she spotted his hands. They were bruised and bleeding.

"Gin! What happened? Did you get into another fight!" She said gasping.

"Nah, Ran-chan. It's jus' karma. We've ate too much rice recently." He joked.

She looked at him in confusion, then grabbed a clean rag and alcohol and began washing his hands. Rangiku kept a close eye on him, making sure she wasn't pressing too hard.

"Does it hurt?"

"Nah at all. It stopped hurtin' a while ago."

"You know it's supposed to be really bad if you can't feel pain anymore."

"It's nah tha'. Don' worry. I can still feel 'em. They jus' feel like when you've been sittin' on them the entire day."

"And I can assume that you know that first hand?"

Gin grinned mischievously.

"Do I want to know?" She asked, mentally putting a hand to her face.

"Prob'ly not."

After gingerly dabbing at his abused hands, she got up to rinse the rag. As she bent down, Gin had snuck up behind her and began tickling her.

After minutes of hysterical laughing, she choked out, "I….can't…breathe!"

Gin stopped and hovered over her with an innocent expression on his face. When she finally collected herself and regained her breath she glared at him menacingly.

"Well tha' ain't a look of gratitude."

"Ichimaru Gin! I will get you back for this. Just you wait!" She declared threateningly.

Little did he know, she was already plotting her revenge.

* * *

><p>Gin chuckled softly when he saw Rangiku sleeping on the other side of the fire on the mat. She had decided to ignore him, indefinitely. She was sleeping with her arms crossed over her stomach. He knew she would get over it, so he didn't worry about it. Gin turned back and let himself drift off to sleep.<p>

A howling sound penetrated Gin's ears. A windstorm blew ferociously around him. It's snowy blades of light whipped past, muffling the wail. Suddenly, out of nowhere, something lunged out at him. Two sets of fangs pierced his flesh and a searing pain cut across his chest. Gin fell to the ground, and just as his knees touched the snow, his world blacked out.

Gin woke with a start. He instinctively reached for his chest, but no visible wound was there. However, he could still feel a painful aching sensation. He stood up shakily and prepared himself both physically and mentally for another day at work. He was just about to leave when a noisy bang startled him. He turned around and saw Rangiku groan and rub her head.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" She gasped, clutching her head as she peeled it off from the chest.

Gin struggled to stifle back a chortle. Rangiku's eyes were tearing now. Even though that hit seemed quite painful, he could tell that she wasn't actually wounded. She got up and stumbled around for a while, seeming as though she could not see straight.

"Gin? Why is there two of you?"

His suspicions were confirmed. That remark also made it impossible for him to hold back his laughter, and he began laughing. Then she seemed to remember that she was still upset with him and turned her back indignantly. Red had flushed her cheeks from embarrassment.

"Well…I'll be…going…now…" He struggled out between chuckles.

* * *

><p>After a particularly painful day, Gin had trouble walking home. The violation of women there appeared to be a regular occurrence. Disturbingly, he never saw any of those girls ever leave the barn.<p>

'Perhaps there was a back door?'

He forced himself to believe that even though it was very unlikely. He flexed his hands and saw that they had adapted and grown stronger to resist to the rough stalks.

When he walked in, he noticed that Rangiku was nowhere in sight. He figured that she must have seen him coming and stubbornly hid. Gin wondered how long she would hide. He washed his hand in the basin and sat down at the table. His grin drooped a little when he saw the food she had lain out.

'This mus' be some par' of her revenge.' He thought, 'But then again, her food 's always pretty awful 'nyway.'

His eyes lit up at the dried persimmons that lay on the table and reached out to take it. But when he bit into it, he realized that it was not his favorite fruit, but a sweet potato! He instantly recalled the time when he told her that he absolutely detested them.

But then, a new taste intruded his mouth. A sharp and acrid tang leaped across his tongue, lighting it on fire. He instinctively spit out the food and inhaled loudly with his mouth. Gin started fanning his mouth uselessly. He peered down at the sweet potato and saw red protrude from the center. Then he came to the conclusion that he had eaten a hot pepper after piecing the clues together.

A loud giggling burst from the doorway and immediately recognized it as Rangiku's voice. But then another laugh, quieter and more reserved came out. He turned and saw Rangiku and the kind face of an old woman with laughing eyes.

He scowled and his eyes opened infinitesimally.

'So she was in on the prank too.'

Rangiku laughed even harder. But she handed him a cup with water, which he swallowed so hastily he ended up coughing. Gin threw her a chiding look but then began laughing alongside them.

* * *

><p>All three of them sat at the table, sharing stories in laughter.<p>

"Ya tried ta fly…down ta stairs?"

"Maybe?" Rangiku said as a blush crept up her face.

"You're both probably hungry now. I brought lunch!" The woman said cheerily as she entered back in with a basket.

"…wait…did ya…" Gin asked, eyeing the food cautiously.

She smiled, "Nope. Don't worry, I promise."

"Great! Thanks Obaa-san! I was worried I was gonna hafta eat Ran-chan's food. It's horrible ya know. Sometimes I thin' she's tryin' ta murder me." He said teasing manner that earned him a punch in the arm.

"And you give me good reason to!" She retorted, offended.

Gin smirked, "Now, now, Ran-chan. I was only jokin'."

"You always are. That's the problem with you. Sometimes I think that you just say that so I won't get angry and punch you or something."

He bit his lip.

"Er…Ran-chan, of course I woul' never do tha'…"

Rangiku narrowed her eyes.

"Hurry and eat! Or else the food would get cold!" Obaa-san announced.

"Don' worry 'bout tha'. It'd still be better than Ran-chan's food." He said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, you've done it again!" She shouted and began chasing him around playfully.

Gin sprinted away from her.

"Hey! That's not fair! You're faster than me!" She complained.

"Well ya got a head start!" He said grinning impishly.

He laughed when she literally tripped on thin air. He turned to tease her again, when suddenly, he stopped running and bent down. An excruciating pain burst over his chest and spread across his body. He fell to his knees as black overwhelmed him.


	9. Awakening Prt 2

Author's Note: I kept telling myself that I would finish this later, keeping track of my self imposed three day deadline. But it didn't turn out that way. I guess timing just isn't my thing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and I made this longer than usual. I thought about writing more in the same chapter, but then I guess it would be too long. Plus I found a great cliff-hanger ending place. If you like those, your welcome…and if you don't? Well…too bad. Just kidding. XD I promise that the next one(s) will be less cliff-hanger-y? Is that a word? I wonder…

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or _most_ of these characters. Although I'm sure the point has gotten across. And unfortunately, I do own the pervy dudes.

* * *

><p>Awakening Part Two<p>

"Gin? Gin!"

Gin opened his eyes slowly. The simple movement brought enormous fatigue to him. He could just see two blurred figures hovering over him. He pressed his eyes together tightly and opened them again. This time he could just make out, with great difficulty, Rangiku and Obaa-san. Rangiku was gripping his hand so firmly, that he could feel her nails digging into his hand and drawing just a trace of blood.

"Gin?" She asked in a more subdued voice, with worry and despair edging into her voice.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest—not from his earlier wound, but for forcing her to be concerned for him. His mouth opened, attempting to speak, but no sound escaped him. They both let out a loud exhale in relief and took him to the futon.

* * *

><p>Rangiku could not breathe as soon as she saw Gin come crashing to the floor so unexpectedly. It felt so wrong to see him vulnerable. She helped Obaa-san lift him to the bed. As she braced herself for weight, he was surprisingly light. Even though she still had trouble, he was much lighter than she had expected.<p>

"Well that's what happens when you don't eat anything" She muttered.

"I'll go and get some water for you." Obaa-san said to no one in particular, rushing to the bottle on the table.

Just then, she felt a sudden heat radiating from where Gin was laying.

'_Does he have a fever or something?' _She thought.

But as she turned, she spotted a white mark peeking out from the folds of his yukata. She warily leaned forward and gingerly pulled it back a bit. She almost reeled in shock to see two identical chalky marks visibly stand out on his already deathly pale skin. Almost as though in a trance, she placed her hand on his chest. When she withdrew it, just a dab of blood was left on her hand. She opened her eyes wide. Rangiku had not seen that he was bleeding from the marks. But when she faced him again, the curved imprints were no longer there.

Just then, Obaa-san ran back, breaking into her thoughts.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, attempting resolutely not to stare at his chest, thinking about what had happened earlier that week.

"Ya, Ran-chan. I'm fine, ya see?" He reassured.

"Ok, I believe you." She said in a still-not-so-convinced tone.

"I've gotta go ta work 'else ta boss won' be willin' ta pay me."

"Fine…" She said hesitantly, "but be careful, ok?"

" 'course I will. Hate ta make ya worry." He said teasingly.

Rangiku rolled her eyes.

'_He could be so irritating sometimes!' _She thought.

"Well, gotta go!" He said running out.

Rangiku shook her head. Obaa-san had offered for them to move in with her, which for an unknown reason, she had promptly refused.

After several hours in wondering, Rangiku could still not figure out why Gin was always so dispirited after work. She was curious at how difficult it actually was and why he didn't want her to work alongside him. A dilemma was insuring in her mind.

_Does Gin think that I'm not strong enough for work?_

_Should I try to prove him wrong?_

_He never lets me do anything difficult…_

_But that means he cares about me…right?_

_I wonder what that mark was. There was an odd, indescribable feeling when I touched it._

_Should I tell Obaa-san? What about asking Gin about it?_

_Does he even know about it?_

_What would he say? Would it be too personal? A secret maybe?_

_And about why he is always so depressed after coming back from the fields._

_Maybe I should just see what it's like…_

_But then that would be spying!_

_**Oh my god! Stop arguing with yourself already bakayarō! You're giving me a headache! Just make up your mind!**_

Rangiku's eyes widened to the half the size of her head. She blinked several times in disbelief and surprise. The girl had a hard time grasping the fact that she had just heard another voice inside her head.

_**Don't just ignore me! I'm not very patient. You should know.**_

Her mouth gaped and she dropped the broom in alarm.

Could it be…did I really just…

_**Stop that. Yeah, you just heard another voice in your head. And no, you're not going crazy…well maybe you are…but…not because you can hear me.**_

All she could do was stand stiffly in silence.

_**Well if you're going to be that way, I'm gone**_.

A long period of time passed as she simply stood there in shock and incredulity. Then she was finally brought back to the real word by the sliding of the door.

"Rangiku? Are you okay?" Obaa-san walked in front of her and gripped her by her shoulders.

The woman's eyes spoke of concern, while her own swam with utter confusion and endless questions. Without a word, she ran off, out of the shack.

The girl found herself running with all her might, trying to escape what she knew she, self-consciously, could not evade.

_**Too much?**_

The smooth, smirking voice of a woman ran all through her head, ringing in her ears. She, unable to come to the reality of the situation, ran harder, pushing her hands closer to her ears.

The woman sighed in her mind.

_**You just don't understand do you? I am in your mind. You can't just avoid me. I am here. I was always here.**_

"Does everyone have to go through this?" She said out loud frantically.

_**Nah. Just…'special'…people. Anyway, you don't need to say it, you just have to think it and I'll hear you. If people overhear you, who knows what they will think.**_

Rangiku seemed to ease up on this. She stopped running, still panting and catching her breath. She stood for a moment to observe where her feet had taken her. Then it came to her that she had absolutely no idea where she was.

_**Don't worry about that. You'll find a way to find your way back.**_

Oh…ok. Who are you?

The girl could sense a smile spread across her unknown companion's face.

_**All in time…hm, what did he call you again? Ran-chan**_.

She glowered at the voice inside her head as a light blush rose to her cheeks and the woman purred, further angering the girl. Then she shook her head.

Really, where am I?

_**Why don't you ask yourself? I mean, you were the one who ran here weren't you?**_

The voice snickered in her head, then all signs of the other being ever existing disappeared.

* * *

><p>Rangiku found herself walking cluelessly through the forest when she finally found a small trail worn by years of numerous traveling feet. The bright sunlight forced her to shield her eyes with her arm. She had scarcely regained her vision when a strong hand wrapped around her thin wrist.<p>

"Wh-!" She shouted in alarm, when another hand clasped over her mouth, preventing any sound from escaping her mouth.

"Let's have some fun, what do you think?" A gruff voice snarled into her ear.

She struggled frantically against the man's powerful grip, but she only found herself trapped against him. When her eyes finally focused, she could see that her feet had led her to a rice plantation. The man took her by her waist and dragged her into a building. She fought to free herself. Just as she was about to enter the shed, she spotted distinctive silver hair far off past a few fields and tried desperately to telepathically get him to turn. But to her dismay, her despairing attempt was unsuccessful as she was dragged into the shed.

"Now, finally we can have some privacy." He smirked, as she shuddered, not sure what to expect.

As soon as his hand was removed from her mouth, she let out a long, terrified wail.

* * *

><p>Gin had always been fully aware of those around him and extremely perceptive. So it wasn't unusual for him to sense before those events occurred.<p>

By the time the farmhand had called the break, he had already developed an unusually strong uneasy feeling in his stomach. He forced himself to take a few drinks of water and rested by the tree he had claimed simply by sitting there. Even here, where all of the workers themselves were labeled as the lower, he stood alone as the odd one out. And so, the others all avoided any contact with the boy; which suited him just fine.

The feeling Gin had experienced was indescribable. He sat down to mull it over when the tugging sensation grew until it became painful. Suddenly, a scream rang out and he leaped up in alarm.

"Ran-chan!" He breathed, instantly recognizing the voice.

He raced across the fields towards the barn, ignoring the penetrating stares of the other workers.

* * *

><p>Rangiku fought his hands with bites, kicks, and her nails as she grew more and more hopeless. He easily pushed her arms away forced her to the back wall. As he leaned in for a kiss, she ducked instinctively and scored a direct kick to his weak point. The man doubled over in pain, but she could tell he was in a rage now. He took her and threw her onto the table.<p>

"Now, you had better cooperate. Or else…what am I saying? You're going to die anyway. I told them I'd let the others get to you once I'm-" He stopped abruptly and his eyes bulged.

She scrambled away from him in shock, not knowing what to expect. The man fell onto the floor; she glanced and saw a pool of blood seep out from the large gash on his back. She was horrified as he choked and drowned in his own blood.

Her eyes opened in relief as she saw Gin drop the knife and pick her up from the corner she was cowering in.

"…I-I was so- afraid…and."

Gin pushed her behind him abruptly and she stumbled back. Confusion crossed her face when she spotted three men stepped out of the light and into the shed with sneers decorating their faces. They all wore black uniforms and carried katana's at their waist. She had long since lost her trust in them from the time that Gin had rescued her from others. This time, she could easily tell their intentions.

"Well what do we have here."

The men all snickered.

"That one seems to have brought us another treat. I told you it was a great investment." A man said gesturing at the dead farm owner.

The man drew his katana from a wooden sheath and the others followed his example as if they were performing a dummy-ventriloquist act.

"I think master would be very happy if we fed both of you to it. You both seem to have high spiritual pressure."

Gin opened his eyes and dropped his smile.

"W-what are they t-talking about Gin?"

He didn't answer. The men advanced leisurely, jeering the children. Rangiku pulled herself back behind Gin. Then she stopped.

'What is wrong with me!' She scolded herself, 'Why am I always so selfish'

She turned and reached for the knife when she felt her foot snag on something. She turned to see the clothing of other young girls like her. Only after she stood up did she discover something off. The clothes were left in positions as though an invisible being was wearing them. Their obi's where still tied and socks still left inside the sandals. Rangiku's mouth gaped when she saw dust, seemingly taking the place of the girls' bodies.

"G-gin…look."

* * *

><p>He slowly turned, keeping eye on the men from his peripheral vision. The instant he saw the clothing lying there, an image of men holding the sphere and draining the people emerged in his mind from the time he had first met Rangiku.<p>

"Yer with tha' man. Ta one with ta glasses, ain't ya." He said in a convincing apathetic voice.

"Well aren't you a smart boy." He leered.

Then suddenly they stopped. A tall, dark frame emerged from the light. His hand rested on one of the other men's shoulders.

"T-taichou." He stuttered in obvious fear.

"Let them be. They may prove useful in the future. Especially…that boy"

He spoke with a smooth, calculating voice. Although the light shielded his image, Gin could see him crystal clear. He recognized that voice. Gin clenched his fists and with just a trace of his natural accent, spat,

"You."

* * *

><p>Bakayarō- stupid; fool<p>

Again, please review!


	10. Sense

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters.

* * *

><p>Sense<p>

"Gin? Do you know him?"

Rangiku stood between the men and Gin with worry and confusion clouding her eyes. He chose not to answer and instead stood there stiffly, casting a nerve-wrecking death glare. The man was unfazed. For a moment, she thought he may not possess emotions. It would certainly explain his lack of reaction to anything from the outside world.

"Well then, I'll take that as we're not wanted here." The man said.

Rangiku shivered. The words were cold and calculating, yet he spoke with false warmth. His voice reminded her of death itself. Icy hands clawed their way up her spine and wrapped around her throat. For a second, the air solidified and she felt herself choking. No oxygen was permitted to enter her system. Even the tears clung to her eyes, refusing to take its natural course. Gravity was rendered useless. Then, as if it were purely her imagination, she saw Gin standing upright. No signs of symptoms she was suffering. The man glanced at her and through the light, his dark grimace, which she viewed as the closest thing to a smile he could pull off, was shown to her. And the next moment, the air was no longer tangible, and the matter holding her up released her. She crumpled.

Beads of sweat formed and she was breathing heavily, as if she'd just run halfway across Rukongai full-throttle. With great effort, she was able to pull herself up, still relying on a table for support.

"We'd best be going now. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other in the future." He said with a pointed glance at Gin.

Following his gaze, Rangiku developed an odd thought. It seemed almost as if they were having a silent conversation with only their eyes. Gin was different; he no longer held his smile or cheerful façade. It intrigued her almost as much as the man.

* * *

><p>With a blinding light, the man disappeared just as mysteriously as his entrance. His henchmen followed mindlessly like marionettes and vanished as well. Gin knew he lacked the strength to best them. It would be in his best interests to avoid any confrontations…for the time being.<p>

Spouts of new questions teemed in his mind, all cursed with the curiosity that would never receive an answer. It was odd. Clearly, the man possessed an impressive amount of reiatsu. There would be no other reason for the men under his control to bow to him. And yet, no energy leaked from him, whilst he could feel a pulse surrounding the others. Would that imply that the level of his strength surpassed others so much, that he could rein his aura in with no apparent effort?

The mere thought frightened him.

The man spoke in riddles. It was the very first time Gin experienced the opposing side of cunning and not knowing was loathsome.

Then he became aware of the girl standing beside him, although he did nothing to acknowledge it. The favors he gave so willingly to her, almost unconditionally was surprising. He never thought of himself as a Good Samaritan—quite the opposite really. And yet, time after time, he acted without a trace of regret or hesitation.

"Gin, what just happened?"

"Ran-chan? Let's go back. It's startin' ta smell awful in here."

Gin's voice was slightly hoarse

She frowned. It was clear to him that she was well aware of his failed attempt at a casual subject change. He had always been more than adept at reading people, not to mention the transparency she held herself in. Luckily, she did not request an immediate confession and allowed herself be led out without a single word of her usual protest.

Gin was in complete and utter confusion. The feeling of helplessness was not one that he enjoyed. He'd always liked being in full control of things, and if he wasn't, he would just pretend. It wasn't all that difficult with his constant, undifferentiated mask.

'_Wha' did he wan' with me?' _He wondered.

Gin had never seen the man in his life until suddenly, he had been showing up all around him in the places he would least expect. Oddly enough, they never seemed like simple coincidences. These encounters resembled part of a greater scheme—and he was just a pawn. In his experience, pawns didn't have the odds in their favor of coming out alive, whatever the game. If he were to be somehow involved, he would rather play his game to his favor.

"Um…Gin?"

"Huh?" He said absentmindedly.

"You're walking into a tree."

"…Oh, right."

Rangiku sighed.

Gin raised his eyebrows in the slightest, minuscule movement.

"Tha' soun' don' go well with such a pretty face."

"You're such a pervert Gin."

"Hm…never thought 'bout it like tha'" He said with a lopsided smile.

"Sure…"

"Ya don' believe me?"

"I'm not sure if I should. That's all I'm saying."

Humor tinted her voice.

"But wha' have I ever done ta make ya think tha'?" He said with feigned innocence.

She smiled while shaking her head. She tried walking ahead, but his longer stride easily overtook her.

After their small banter, the rest of the walk was in silence. Neither of them felt comfortable to shatter the stillness.

* * *

><p>Trees passed as Rangiku's mind whirled with ideas on how to break the silence. Each one was processed before ultimately being tossed. Gin was once again trying to shield her by withholding valuable information from her. It was infuriating. As much as she appreciated his intent, she was doubtful she would ever see the day that he would view her with equal maturity.<p>

Despite her carefree attitude, she was constantly concerned with difficult topics. No matter how much she tried to push them away, they persisted. The most prominent would be the reason behind his disappearances. Forcing it out of her mind, she assured herself it was just a habit of lifestyle. Still, a lingering trace of suspect remained.

By the time they reached the shack, she nearly collapsed due to the rather eventful day. Her heart still pounded and she had difficulty moving her limbs. It was a continuing effect from the man with glasses. She had experienced an oppressing feeling from the presence of the others, however, it was nothing compared to his power.

Before her eyelids could draw shut, she gathered the courage to put out one question.

"Gin, who were they? The ones in black."

She wanted to ask about the man, but she had a sense that he wouldn't have told her even if he knew anyway.

"They were Shinigami."

Lips parted, but none was uttered. The syllables logged in her throat.

She'd heard of tales of brave warriors that protected souls of the innocent. Stories about fallen heros that sacrificed their lives to save the civilians. They were called shinigami. The Death Gods. They were her heros.

When morning came, Gin was no longer by her side. This event was not uncommon to her, but she was still unable to suppress the panic. When she rose, there, again, was no message left for her. She rolled her eyes and with a sigh, continued her former routine.

* * *

><p>Gin sat on the roof of a business in the market, above the view of prying eyes. He knew he should be doing something worth time, but time to think was needed. Resting his head on his knees, he watched the bustle below him. His favorite pastimes consisted of wandering in the woods and watching people going about their lives, while pointing out what type of person they were.<p>

He spotted a man of his thirties with clothes hanging loosely, his belt in his hand. The man looked around intensely and walked with a spring. Focusing his eyes, Gin noticed a patch of red on his collar. He smiled to himself. That one was definitely a player. Eager to catch a reunion, his eyes followed the man to his home, which was thankfully, visible from his perch. He laughed when he saw an angry wife bursting from a shack on the side, brandishing a twig.

He averted his sight when he saw with disappointment that the wife had acknowledged humility and took the argument behind closed doors.

Then something caught his attention. It was a carriage. Shock filled his mind. He had never in his entire life seen something of that grandeur. He quickly scrambled down from the poorly constructed pub, using the shingles as footholds. Spotting a building closer to the ravishing sight, he rapped hard on four beams to judge the sturdiness and then repositioned himself on the roof to get a better view. A man took a step cautiously out.

He was a shinigami. He wore the trademark black Shihakushō. His eyes darted nervously and his hand was placed conspicuously on the hilt of his zanpakto. The man took a deep breath and with his other hand, reached inside his robe and pulled out a scroll.

The man took a shaky breath and began.

"I am the fifth seat Tanaka Shozo of the Fifth Division under Captain Hirako Shinji. I am here to issue an announcement to the 64th District of Rukongai, North Alley of Wandering Spirits, Sabitsura, that a call for young spirits that possess any amount of spirit energy to immediately report to the District 50 in East Rukongai. There, your credibility will be examined and shinigami will determine if you have the aptitude to attend Shinō Spirit Academy and live a life with far greater meaning."

Gin bit his lip while the man took a deep breath. In his mind were three thoughts. One, how in the world did the shinigami manage to push that long monologue out in a single breath. Two, why is this call being issued and why now? Three, should he even consider joining?

Gin's smile eased slightly when he realized he had another thought and bent his third finger. Two and a half, there would certainly be many desperate to enter the academy in order to live a better life. Surely they would masquerade and try all means, and if there were that many people, the spots designated would fill up quickly. They must have also issued this announcement to the other poor districts, he thought.

He glanced up again, and sure enough, people had momentarily forgotten old grudges and began whispering excitedly. Barkeeper to orphan, shop owner to beggar, old to young, rich to poor. However, he had no intention of joining the mix. He silently dropped from his place on the roof and began his walk home with now only one thing on his mind.

One person. Rangiku.

* * *

><p>Oh wow! It's been such a long time since I last updated. Well, I was going back over the good parts of all the old episodes of Bleach. Re-watching it if you will. I've regained new interest in the series after I heard the news of the final season of Bleach on anime (Or at least going on hiatus). But when I reached the part when Gin first shows up, I suddenly got the urge to revisit this story. After reading some reviews and stuff, inspiration sparked and I have decided to return to this. I may not be able to update as quickly as I used to, but I'll try my best.<p>

I really have to thank all the people who added this story to their favorites and watches, and most of all, to the people to reviewed.

Thanks in particular to Bleached-Whale and also the last few people that reviewed long after my hiatus announcement. That really encouraged me!

Well, heartfelt speech over. ^^

Tell me what you think!

-xSnowFire


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